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14:40 Epsom Downs

Icon Display Nursery Handicap (Class D2) (Class 2)

  • 11 Runners
  • Distance: 5f
  • Going: Good, Good to Firm in places
Weighed In
  • Winning Time: 0m 55.70s
  • 11 Ran
Go to Full Result
1
Silk -

Louphole

8/1

    2
    Silk -

    Star Duster

    7/1

      3
      Silk -

      Smiddy Hill

      8/1

        1(2)
        Silk - Red, Black cross belts and armlets, Red and Black quartered cap

        Forzeen

        5
        9/1
        • Form 314001
        • Age 2
        • Weight 9-9

        always outpaced towards rear, never dangerous

        2(4)
        Silk - Royal Blue, Yellow hoop, chevrons on sleeves, White cap

        Smiddy Hill

        19
        8/1
        • Form 145102
        • Age 2
        • Weight 9-7

        tracked leaders, ridden to lead over 1f out, headed well inside final furlong, lost 2nd towards finish

        3(6)
        Silk - Light Blue, Royal Blue striped sleeves, Royal Blue cap

        Bold Minstrel (IRE)

        11
        14/1
        • Form 124255
        • Age 2
        • Weight 9-6

        led, ridden and headed over 1f out, one pace final furlong

        4(3)
        Silk - Red, Light Green hoops, White sleeves

        Talcen Gwyn (IRE)

        7
        10/1
        • Form 045041
        • Age 2
        • Weight 9-5

        slowly into stride, always towards rear

        5(1)
        Silk - White, Red hoop, White sleeves, Dark Green armlets, White cap, Red spots

        Louphole

        5
        8/1
        • Form 341003
        • Age 2
        • Weight 9-0

        chased leaders, headway 1f out, stayed on to lead final 100 yards, ridden out

        6(8)
        Silk - Royal Blue, Yellow inverted triangle, diabolo on sleeves, Yellow cap

        Top Form (IRE)

        14
        20/1
        • Form 05150
        • Age 2
        • Weight 9-0

        started very slowly, always in rear

        7(9)
        Silk - ROYAL BLUE, WHITE epaulets, ROYAL BLUE sleeves, WHITE stars, ROYAL BLUE cap, WHITE star

        Grand Place

        15
        4/1
        • Form 401044
        • Age 2
        • Weight 8-11

        held up in touch, ridden 2f out, kept on same pace final furlong

        8(11)
        Silk - Maroon and Yellow check, Maroon sleeves, Yellow cap

        Melandre

        7
        7/1
        • Form 604512
        • Age 2
        • Weight 8-10

        started slowly, always behind

        9(10)
        Silk - White, dark blue epaulets, dark blue and white halved sleeves, quartered cap

        Wonderful Mind

        7 b
        12/1
        • Form 563205
        • Age 2
        • Weight 8-9

        with leader, every chance well inside final 2f, ridden and weakened final furlong

        10(5)
        Silk - Light Blue, Purple stars

        Star Duster

        5
        7/1
        • Form 0202
        • Age 2
        • Weight 8-2

        raced wide in touch, headway over 1f out, kept on to take 2nd well inside final furlong, not trouble winner

        11(7)
        Silk - White, Purple stars, sleeves and star on cap

        Cree

        12
        7/1
        • Form 525231
        • Age 2
        • Weight 8-1

        chased leaders, ridden along over 2f out, stayed on one pace final furlong

        In depth

        Verdict

        A difficult nursery, in which most of the runners can be given some sort of a chance, but a high draw should help and Melandre can make the journey down from North Yorkshire worthwhile; Star Duster, Smiddy Hill, Bold Minstrel and Cree should all be involved. Melandre came back from a break to win on her handicap debut at Catterick at the beginning of September, and the form has been franked by the third horse winning on its next start. Mel Brittain¿s filly then went down by just a neck to Talcen Gwyn at Ripon, with Wonderful Mind back in fifth place. She is fancied to reverse form with the winner on two pounds better terms, and with a handy berth in stall 11 she looks the pick here. Talcen Gwyn had earlier finished down the field in a nursery here at Epsom , with both Louphole and Bold Minstrel ahead, and on that form Bold Minstrel would have to be given a chance here. Forzeen narrowly beat Star Duster and Louphole at Windsor last time, but of that trio the lightly-raced Star Duster makes more appeal here, especially on six pounds better terms. Cree won impressively on heavy ground at Chepstow last time and would certainly come into it if there was significant rain, while Smiddy Hill has plenty of speed and should be suited by this track, having finished just in front of Talcen Gwyn when second at Musselburgh last time. To sum up, this looks a bit of a minefield for form students, but Melandre has plenty in her favour and she gets the nod.